Annabella Grant was forced to curtsy, but as she inclined her head, Velvet, in return, said graciously, “You need not curtsy to me, sister.” Then, taking the surprised woman by the shoulders, she kissed her upon both of her cheeks. “I do hope we will be friends,” she finished.
“Of course,” said Annabella, quite flustered by this young and beautiful woman in her outlandish garb. This was not how she had imagined this meeting would go. She was, after all, her new sister-in-law’s senior by eight years, yet Velvet made her feel positively awkward.
Velvet tucked her arm through Annabella’s. “I want to know everything aboutDun Broc, and since it was your childhood home, I am sure you can tell me. When I ask Alex, all he can talk about is history and architecture.”
Bella felt a burst of warmth suffuse her slender frame. Why Velvet was very much like herself. How wonderful! “Men,” she said importantly, “simply dinna understand the running of a household, sister.” She looked archly at her brother and her husband, and then, as if remembering something, she said with a wave of her hand, “This is Ian, my husband.” But before Ian could open his mouth, she was chattering on again about the numerous details necessary to running a castle likeDun Broc, quoting her dear, departed mother frequently as they walked into the castle.
Alex couldn’t help but grin. Bella was incorrigible. He turned to his brother-in-law. “How are ye, Ian? Is all well atGrantholm?And wi’ my nephews?”
“Aye, Alex. The cattle ye gave us last spring hae prospered, and we’ve just slaughtered them. They’ll bring a pretty penny, and I’ll finally be able to make repairs to the roof.”
“Ye dinna slaughter all the cattle, did ye, Ian?”
“Aye,” came his brother-in-law’s reply.
“God’s nightshirt!” exploded Alex. “How in hell do ye expect to build yer herd if ye hae no cows to breed to my bull?”
“Bella said we couldna afford to keep the cows this winter if we were to make all the repairs needed. She said ye’d gie us new stock in the spring. That it was her right.”
“Her right?Christ almighty, man, the only rights yer wife has are those ye gie her! I warned ye that I would not help ye again, Ian. Bella has no claims toDun Broc, and ye both well know it. Ye should hae seen that ye couldna make all the repairs necessary to yer house this year. The roof would hae been a good start. If ye’ll take my advice, ye’ll repair it and save the rest of yer money to buy fresh stock in the spring.”
Ian nodded. “I’m nae wise like ye, Alex, but I’ll take yer good advice. Bella is nae easy to live with, ye know,” he finished apologetically.
“She needs a stick taken to her,” snapped Alex, “and until ye do it ye’ll nae be able to control her. She’s a willful wench, Ian. For God’s sake, man, show some backbone!” He stamped up the steps into his home and, turning back to Ian, said, “Now take yer wife home, Ian. Ye know that the road is difficult in the dark, and ’tis getting close to sunset.”
“Are we not to stay the night, then? Bella said we were to stay.”
“The hell ye’re going to stay! It’s taken me three years to bring my wife home toDun Broc, and I dinna intend to spend our first night atDun Brocentertaining ye and my sister.”
Annabella was outraged at her brother’s behavior, and though Velvet pleaded sweetly, Alex held firm. Within a few short minutes the Grants ofGrantholmwere trotting down the narrow, walled road toward the glen and their own home. The portcullis was lowered, the drawbridge raised, the men-at-arms paced upon the castle heights, andDun Brocwas secured for the night. With a self-satisfied grin, Alex returned to his wife.
Velvet lovedDun Brocfrom the first moment she saw it. It was not a large castle. Indeed, there was an almost cosy air about it. The building was set firmly against the north wall ofDun Brocand ran along a portion of the northwest and northeast walls as well. The windows on these particular walls were high enough to prevent entry through them by an enemy, for it was this area of the castle that was the most vulnerable. Most of the views fromDun Brocfaced south, west, and east.
The gardens on the west and southwest walls of the castle were badly overgrown, except for the small kitchen garden. It was still warm enough, Velvet thought, that something could be done there before winter set in. At the very end of the gardens, and directly off the castle itself, was a small chapel.
Dun Brochad been begun two centuries before when a laird of BrocCairn had fortified the mountaintop and started to build upon it. The first Earl of BrocCairn had been created by James IV as reward for his support in his war of insurrection against his father, James III. The last laird had fought against his son, the first earl, and died with his king, James III, at Sauchieburn along with his two younger sons. It was said that James Gordon, the first Earl of BrocCairn, was punished by God for his rebellion against not only James III but his own father as well in that he had but one child, his son, Alexander. The second earl was also childless but for a single daughter.
Lady Alexandra Gordon, the heiress to BrocCairn, was a wild and willful girl with flaming red hair and black eyes. At fourteen she had attracted the attention of James V, the handsome and unmarried king. For close to a year Alexandra had held the king at bay, only yielding to her liege after a handfast marriage that James Stewart afterwards denied. Alexandra had died in childbirth at sixteen, bearing the king a son, Angus Gordon, the third Earl of BrocCairn. Young Angus, though recognized by his father, was raised by his grandfather and bore his name, not the king’s. Angus was matched with Isabel Leslie who bore him two living sons and a daughter, of which Alex and Annabella were the survivors.
Since the time of the creation of the earldom,Dun Brochad grown: its walls going higher; sprouting round towers from which the land below might be viewed; its manor house giving away to the small jewel of a castle that now held sway over the bailey.
Within the castle Velvet found a fine, good-sized hall containing two large stone fireplaces to heat it. There were several large, beautiful tapestries hanging upon the walls, the stone floors were swept clean, and the tables were well polished. Bella’s handiwork, Velvet thought, and reminded herself to thank her sister-in-law. The air was fragrant from the applewood fires and bowls of sweet herbs that had been discreetly placed about. The main level of the castle also contained the steward’s office, Alex’s private library, the kitchens, storage rooms with their casks, barrels, and boxes, as well as the granaries and the servants’ hall. There were more storage rooms, as well as the castle’s dungeon in the cellars below. On the upper level ofDun Brocwere the family quarters, consisting of the earl’s apartments, which adjoined the countess’s, guest chambers, and the nursery. The servants slept in the attics above.
Alex led his wife to the kitchens so that she could meetDun Broc’scook. A big-boned woman came forward at their entry, a smile upon her handsome face. Her dark hair was liberally streaked with gray, and she carried herself proudly.
“So here she is,” the woman declared in a deep voice. “Welcome home, m’lady!” Then she curtsied.
Alex smiled at the woman. “Velvet, this is Morag Geddes.”
Velvet looked closely at the cook and, suddenly seeing the resemblance, asked, “Are you Dugald’s mother?”
“I am,” came the reply, “and my son tells me that we both owe ye a great debt of gratitude, for ye saved the life of my only grandson.”
“But how could you know that already?” demanded Velvet, astounded.
Morag Geddes laughed. “There’s nae witchcraft about it, m’lady. Dugald rode on ahead of the main party to prepare me for the wonderful surprise. He says the lad is the spit of him. Is it true, then?”
“Aye,” said Velvet, smiling, “and he’s a fine little boy, too.”
